For decades, we have believed that brown rice is healthier than white. But is that really true? Brown rice has long been hailed for having more nutrients and fiber and a lower glycemic index compared to its white variety. However, a new study suggests that the brown rice might be doing more harm than good.
A new study by Michigan State University suggests that eating brown rice increases exposure to arsenic, a toxic chemical element, when compared to white rice. The study published in the journal found that brown rice contains higher levels of arsenic, particularly inorganic arsenic, which is more harmful to human health.
The study found that brown rice contains higher levels of arsenic content and inorganic arsenic concentration than white rice among American populations. Though it poses no major health risks for the general American public, there are potential health concerns for infants and children under age 5, as they consume more food relative to their body weights than adults.
“This research is important because it acknowledges the importance of considering food safety along with nutrition when consumers make choices about food. While we found that choosing brown rice over white rice would result in higher arsenic exposure on average, the levels should not cause long-term health problems unless someone ate an enormous amount of brown rice every day for years,” senior investigator of the study Felicia Wu, John A. Hannah, and Professor at MSU’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources said.
What is arsenic, and how does it affect rice?
Arsenic is a natural component found in the earth’s crust, which is highly toxic. When compared to other cereal grains, rice has significantly higher contents of arsenic. Rice has nearly 10 times more arsenic content compared to other grains. This is because rice is often grown in continually flooded paddies, and wet soil, conditions that favor arsenic being taken up from the soil into the plants. Though the nutritional benefits of brown rice are real, the answer to whether it is healthier is not as simple as you might have thought, as it ignores a potential food safety concern. Chronic exposure to arsenic over a lifetime may increase cancer risk.
Is brown rice healthy?
Wu, along with postdoctoral research associate and lead author Christian Scott, both in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, compared the arsenic exposure and associated risks between brown and white rice for US populations. They used national dietary data from the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition to analyze arsenic intake through rice consumption. The researchers also evaluated how levels differed by region, where and what populations may be at increased health risk.
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The researchers found that in rice grown in the United States, the concentration of inorganic arsenic in white rice was 33%, and in brown rice was 48%. Whereas in rice grown globally, 53% of the total arsenic in white rice was inorganic, 65% of the total arsenic in brown rice was inorganic. Organic arsenic, more commonly found in seafood as well as in other foods, is less toxic because it is readily excreted from the body. They also found that some populations are more vulnerable due to elevated rice consumption or susceptibility to arsenic exposure. This includes young children, Asian immigrant populations, and populations that face food insecurity.